Longing
by RDJ-bae
Summary: IM1 off-canon. Tony returns from his captivity overseas to find Pepper has been living in his home. A little angst, a little fluff, lots of lemon.
1. Chapter 1

**Be gentle with me, this is my first time. ;)**

DISCLAIMER: I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Iron Man Trilogy, the Marvel Cinematic Universe or any of the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. No copyright infringement intended.

 **CHAPTER ONE**

The door to Tony Stark's home opened before her and closed behind her with ease familiar ease. It wasn't a cold night by any means, but it was already after sun-down and the outside air did have a little nip to it. For more reasons than one, Pepper was eager to get inside.

"Good evening, Miss. Potts."

The tall red head sighed with relief to finally be 'home' and away from the real world for at least the next ten hours, even if that 'home' wasn't exactly hers.

She turned and pressed her code into the pad on the wall, arming the perimeter as she tossed her keys on a nearby table. "Hello Jarvis," she greeted the familiar yet faceless voice.

She kicked off her heels and moved further into the home as Jarvis gently illuminated the living space before her. The intelligent home may have belonged to her boss – _former boss?_ – but it knew her well enough to know she hated walking into a dark room.

She supposed she had Tony to thank for that.

It had been a long, hard day. Her body ached, and she yearned for a hot bubble bath to soothe her tense muscles. "Jarvis, can you run the bath in the master suite, please?" In another room Pepper could hear the water begin to run and she took a deep breath, already looking forward to sinking into the hot liquid.

"The temperature is set right where you like it, Miss. Potts."

"Thank you," she breathed and set her pocket book down on the counter.

She had spent the majority of the day sitting in a stuffy boardroom with Obadiah, the Stark Enterprise lawyers and a bunch of other company high-ups trying to figure out what they should do next.

Tony had been gone… _missing_ for almost ninety days now. The news, media, loyal fangirls, even his own employees, were beginning to believe him dead by now.

The corporation needed a plan, needed direction, and there was just so much to consider. Obadiah even mentioned getting a hold of Tony's Will, and the thought had upset Pepper so badly she had to excuse herself from the room for a few moments to regain her composure.

Last Will and Testaments were for deceased people, and until they showed her a body she would never believe Tony was gone. She just knew in her gut that he wasn't dead. She held on to that glimmer of hope that he was alright somewhere, devising an over the top, true to Tony plan for his grand re-entrance.

Pepper rolled her neck and pulled down her ponytail, letting her locks fall around her face and on her shoulders. She needed to stop thinking about it before she drove herself to be sick.

At a leisurely pace she padded her way, barefoot, down the hall and into Tony's bedroom, stripping herself of her jewelry on the way. Carefully she set it down on his dresser next to his prized watch collection, then moved beyond the un-made bed and into the master bath. The water was still filling the large tub and she breathed in the steam it was creating in the room. There, she made quick work of her blouse and pencil skirt, discarding them in a heap on the floor as she moved closer to the bath. A few seconds later her bra and panties joined the trail of clothing on the floor and she was submerging herself into the hot water.

Pepper had let herself become familiar with Tony's giant bathtub, on more than one occasion, over the last month. With his entire house, for that matter. For reasons she refused to admit, she couldn't stay away, which was awfully ironic when she thought of all the long days and nights she spent wishing she could be in her own apartment, away from this place as she was relentlessly chasing after him to get on a plane or sign some piece of paperwork or what have you. She would drive herself so crazy trying to keep him focused on whatever task was at hand that she couldn't wait for her _shift_ to be over so she could just go home.

And yet, now that he wasn't here for her to chase around or to drive her crazy, she couldn't bring herself to leave.

She told herself that maybe if she spent enough time in the house she would see something or learn something that could help in finding him. His home was a product of his brilliance, and she hoped that maybe, just maybe there would be a clue or… _something_.

Pepper closed her eyes and rested her head back against the ledge. She knew she was reaching. But the truth was, she missed him. She missed the chasing, the nagging, the banter, the laughs, his fast-talking, the innuendo…

She had been young, fresh-faced and right out of college when she accepted the job as his assistant. He himself had only just graduated from MIT and was working under Obadiah's wing to learn all he could about his father's empire. He was being primed to take over and was accelerating at a rapid pace, soon catching up to Obi and surpassing him with hands-on knowledge, innovation, design, etc. Tony wasn't afraid to get in there with his own hands and do things himself.

It had been fascinating to watch him become the man he was… _is_ today.

Pepper remembered fondly how young they were when they met. He was clean shaven, confident, brilliant, and _hot_. Oh, there was no denying that she found him insanely attractive. She tried not to let _him_ know that, of course; like he needed any more ammo to fill his ego.

She had impressed him with her ability to remember things without having to write them down and bringing him things he needed without having to be asked. They meshed well from the beginning and so he'd never questioned whether or not she would get the job. She walked in and he trusted her immediately and so the job was just hers. No questions were asked.

He came to value her opinion and would often turn to her for advice on things like clothing, accessories, décor and artwork, investments, etc.; that's when she began to see that he also saw her as a friend and not just an employee.

She would be with him so frequently and so late in the evenings that sometimes their conversation would turn to non-work related things and the playful banter would begin and her mind would wander…

She'd imagined, on more than one occasion, scenarios in which she would just walk right up to him and slap him for saying something inappropriate, then kiss him madly until he was begging her for more. Or where he would call her into his workshop to help him with something and then he would just bend her over one of the tables down there and-

 _Down girl._

The fun and games were spared only for her imagination. She had a personal rule, to never get involved with any man she works with, and that rule has suited her well all these years. She'd seen too many working relationships get ruined by 'office' romances. She didn't want that to happen to her and Tony.

Didn't mean she couldn't enjoy the banter, and the _view_.

As they matured Tony would still splash a little innuendo her way once in a while but, either he knew of her personal rule and he respected it, _or_ he just wasn't in to her enough to peruse her. And even though it was _her_ rule, the idea that he probably just wasn't attracted to her that way left her feeling mostly disappointed.

Clearly her mind and her body were on different wavelengths when it came to one Anthony Stark.

With a deep breath Pepper closed her eyes and leaned back, submerging herself completely in the water, willing herself to think of something else, anything else, at least for a few moments.

 **oOo oOo oOo**

Pepper emerged from the master bathroom more than an hour later. Clad in her most comfortable tee and yoga shorts, she flipped the light off on her way out. Her hair was dried, teeth brushed, skin moisturized, and she was fighting to keep her eyes open. The hot bath had certainly done its job in relaxing the tensions away in her body, and she let out an audible sigh of relief as she climbed under the covers of the plush king bed, sinking instantly absorbing the warmth it offered.

The second her eyes were closed her mind drifted back to him, and what he might be doing at that same moment, wherever he was. She turned herself over so that she could stare out the large panoramic window into the night sky. All the lights in the room were off and the stars shone brightly, casting a glitter out over the dark waters.

The space before her eyes seemed so vast and never ending; the thought of not knowing where Tony was in the entire world, let alone the vast openness in front of her, loomed over her.

As if it had waited for her to be watching, a perfect shooting star cast itself through her line of sight, leaving its twinkling tail to fade slowly in its wake. She thought back on how she would wish on shooting stars when she was a child. To the best of her knowledge, her wishes never came true, but as she lay there contemplating the ridiculousness of such fairy tales, she couldn't help but wonder.

She snuggled into the sheets and inhaled deeply, her heart fluttering as his familiar scent, buried deep within the pillow, filled her senses despite his sheets having been washed after his departure.

She missed him.

So much more than she ever thought possible, she missed him.

Pepper squeezed her eyes shut as a single tear rolled down her cheek, took a deep breath to calm herself, and made her wish

 **oOo oOo oOo**

A shrill ringing pulled her from her peaceful sleep. It took her several moments, but she became consciously aware that it was her cell phone that was making the rude noise.

Sitting up she focused on the alarm clock that read 3:14 AM, and growled. Whoever was calling her at this hour of the night better have the best damn reason in the world or she was going to rip them a new one for disturbing her like this.

Pepper reached over to the bedside table and felt around in the darkness, her fingers finally finding the deice face down and turning it over so she could see.

She squinted at the harsh blue light that filled the room as she tried to focus on the screen.

Her heart dropped to her stomach. It was Rhodey.

"Hello?" she answered quickly. She knew he would not be calling her at this hour unless it was direly important.

"Pepper," he said breathlessly. Her throat clenched.

 _No, no, no…_

"Yes?"

The pause was so long Pepper was certain she'd stopped breathing, afraid to hear the words she was sure she was about to hear. She was suddenly wide awake and felt her body begin to shake. "Rhodey," she pleaded, her voice cracking as sheer panic began to arise within her. "Tell me…"

"Pepper…"

A burst of some indescribable feeling washed through her chest, making her stand up on the bed and clutch her phone to her ear. "Yeah?" The smile that she could hear in his voice told her why he was calling her at this hour, but she needed to hear him say it anyway.

"We've got him."

 **TBC**

 **I am not above begging for reviews. Please and Thank You!**


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Iron Man Trilogy, the Marvel Cinematic Universe or any of the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. No copyright infringement intended.

 **oOo oOo oOo**

 **CHAPTER TWO**

Tony winced as he pushed himself into a standing position. His heart was racing with anticipation and it was causing twinges of pain around his still-tender chest wound. The slim fit suit he'd changed into on the plane ride home wasn't helping much either, but he never knew who was going to be waiting to snap a photo at the finish line and he wanted to look… _himself_. The sling that his arm was currently bound in was bad enough as it was.

He was told he had been gone for almost three months. It felt a lot longer than that, and he was certain there wasn't a single hour that passed while he was in that cave that he hadn't thought of her.

 _Pepper._

He missed her so much more than he ever thought he would. It actually… surprised him, a little. In the moments he would succumb to his exhaustion and allow himself some sleep, his dreams would be filled with images of her, with the sounds of her voice, with the idea of being able to touch her or hold her. And when he would wake he would wrestle with the gut-wrenching fear that he would never get to see her again.

His time away from his own life had been revolutionary, to say the least, and now the ramp of the military plane he'd arrived in was opening and he found himself actually nervous to see her again.

Tony was not an overly emotional person. _Passionate_ , yes. Emotional? No; but the moment he felt the breeze wash over him and the light of day reach into that plane he was admittedly a little worked up.

There she was, like a beacon of light herself, smiling and looking directly at him.

And biting her lip…

 _Damn._

His urges were to run to her and kiss her breathless, but he was certain it wouldn't make sense to anyone but himself at that moment, and for possibly the first time in his life, he didn't want an audience.

Instead Tony walked calmly, with the help of his friend Col. Rhodes, down the ramp and onto the runway of the air base and immediately up to her. He did his best to stay cool, dismissing a gurney and fighting the smile that was threatening as he approached her and studied her eyes.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't encouraged by her reaction to his presence.

"Hm, your eyes are red. Shed a few tears for your long lost boss?"

"Tears of joy," she admitted. "I hate job hunting."

Tony appreciated her jab at the end; needed it, even. This was what he missed about her. He knew damn well that she had missed him, too. There was no way that she would stick around for all these years if she didn't care for him on some level. But she was quick on her feet to crack a joke because that's what _he_ does, and she is always there to match him blow for blow.

He nodded at her and tried not to stare at her lips, wishing that they had more time to get reacquainted with each other, but he knew there were things he needed to do right away that had nothing to do with their personal relationship.

It was time to shock the hell out of Stark Industries, and the world.

"Yeah, vacations over, let's go."

 **oOo oOo oOo**

Tony stepped into his bedroom and stopped. He looked around for a moment, sensing something was different but unable to put his finger on what it was. The bed was made, his things all appeared to be in order on his dresser. Nothing appeared to be missing, but it just… felt different somehow. As his eyes settled on his bed he decided it was probably delirium from not having slept on a proper bed in months.

Or not having really slept in months, period.

It has been a ridiculously long day, and looking at his wonderfully large bed he felt the exhaustion on his shoulders like a cross. He needed to rest himself up for a while. Three months straight of engineering and building in a darkened cave on next to no sleep tended to take a toll, and if he was going to spearhead all the changes he announced for Stark Industries he needed to be on his toes.

He loosened his tie enough that he could get it up and over his head, discarding it on the floor where he stood. He kicked off his shoes and untucked his shirt the best he could with one arm, and shrugged off his suit coat and left it in a heap on the floor. Finally, frustrated with the sling, he pulled that off too, wincing again as the weight of his own arm pulled at the bruised flesh.

"Hey, Pep?" he called out to her. He was unbuttoning his dress shirt with one hand, opening it and doing his best to shrug it off without straining his arm again. The issue now was the undershirt he had on beneath it all. He knew that if he really wanted he could get the shirt up and over his head on his own, but the idea of having her help excited him, and he was pouncing on any excuse for them to interact at this point.

After all, she opted to come inside with him rather than accept Happy's offer to take her home to own apartment. That had to count for something, right?

In the kitchen Pepper froze.

 _Shit._

Did he seriously already notice something? She had done her best in a very short period of time to clean her tracks but she was limited. She'd only gotten that call from Rhodey the night before last. She bit her lip and tried to think of an excuse- _any_ excuse, as to why she would have stayed in his room when the guest room down the hall was where she would have otherwise slept.

She set her things down on the counter and smoothed out her pantsuit, walking down the hallway to his bedroom. "Yeah?"

Tony turned and looked at her, a soft and somewhat sheepish look on his face. "Can you give me a hand? I'm not as flexible at the moment as I usually am."

Peppers cheeks tinged with pink as she stepped into his bedroom and walked over to where he was standing. "What do you need me to do?"

Tony looked at her for e moment with the slightest of smirks on his face. The realm of things he'd like to try was infinite, but he'd been back in her presence for only a few hours. He thought it best to stay away from his trademark innuendo for at _least_ a day. He cleared his throat. "Can you just…" he motioned to the shirt and then his shoulder and she seemed to understand what he was asking of her. "Help me?" he chuckled as he attempted to pull it up and winced immediately.

"Hang on, hang on," she said as she stopped him for a brief moment, grabbing hold of his wrist and carefully maneuvering his arm as she helped pull the thin fabric up over his head and gently over his shoulder and arm.

She did not miss the completely sensual way the offending piece of clothing revealed his skin to her like a tease. She did not miss how much more fit he looked than before he was kidnapped, and she imagined him being slaved to work in hot, dirty conditions and what he must have gone through for his body to change the way that it did. And she did not miss the little whimper that escaped his lips when he moved a certain way, and the tingle that shot through her body when she imagined him making that noise under different circumstances.

Tony sighed in relief once the shirt was off and closed his eyes as he breathed a "thank you," to Pepper, but when he opened his eyes and looked at her he felt a twinge of guilt.

Pepper was looking at his body but with sad eyes as she took inventory of his cuts and brises and burns. "Oh Tony."

She set the tank down over the dress shirt then circled him once, her eyes lingering on the arc reactor a little longer than the rest of the wounds. Her thoughts had very quickly gone from borderline pornographic to remorseful and concerned.

"You should be in the hospital," she whispered as she tentatively reached out and checked the gauze on his shoulder.

Tony saw her pained expression as she saw the red, irritated flesh underneath and she quickly had him thinking that she was probably right, but now that he was home and so close to his own bed, there was no way he was going back out.

His expression must have given away everything going through his mind because when Pepper finally raised her eyes to meet his, her expression softened. She supposed she should let him settle back in for a bit before she began to scold him for each and everything thing. She could at least give him a handful of free passes.

"Wait right here," she said as she stepped around him and made her way into his master bath.

He quirked an eyebrow as he listened to her rummaging through his things, wondering only briefly why she seemed to know what sorts of things he kept in his drawers and medicine cabinet before she emerged with a handful of supplies and a saddened smile.

Pepper took Tony by the hand and pulled him in the direction of his bed. He smirked in response and quirked a brow _at_ her when she turned to face him at the foot of the bed.

"Taking me to bed, already, Pep? Can't a man get some sleep first, recharge the battery… so to speak," he joked.

Pepper stopped at the foot of his bed, turning and cocking a perfectly manicured brow at him, not finding his joke amusing at this exact moment. "Sit," she commanded as she tugged his arm enough to force him to step around her.

He studied her while his signature smirk never left his lips. "Did I ever tell you I dig a woman in charge?"

His comment was left ignored as he obeyed and sat down with a slight bounce.

"You refused to go to the hospital so you have to deal with me now. You should have gone when you had the chance."

Tony flinched as she turned and ripped the old gauze and bandage off without warning, giving him a stern look when he questioned her with his eyes.

"Ow! Geeze, point made, Pepper. Take it easy on me, will you?"

"Sorry," she muttered as she opened a tube of triple anti-biotic ointment and began squeezing a good amount out onto a waiting cotton swab. "…but you should have gone. What if you contracted something while you were in that cave? What if you get an infection?"

"I'm fine, Pep, I promise you. I was in good hands while I was in that cave. And ask Rhodey, I was in rough shape when they found me and look at me now," he said as he puffed out his chest and feigned a flex of his arms. Pepper smiled ever so slightly but shook her head at him. "I've been healing fast," he assured her as he stopped his argument and watched her dab at his scrapes with the cotton ball she was holding. "Once I get a little R&R I'll be good as new."

She looked at him through her lashes and pursed her lips as she finished applying the ointment before tearing open a new gauze square. She began to reapply where it had been previously, making sure they were adhered to him well, careful not to press too hard, but applying enough pressure that she could feel his muscles protest beneath her slim fingers.

She was very aware of the way he was watching her closely. It made her cheeks flush as she considered the position she had put them in. He was seated at the foot of his bed, she between his legs as she crouched on the floor to be at eye level with his wounds, most of which just happened to be on his bare chest. So many bad, dirty thoughts popped into her head then and she only had herself to blame.

Pepper didn't know what had gotten into her. Before he had left these thoughts of hers had not been an issue. Then he was gone and all she did was think about him and his… _everything_ and now he's been back on American soil for less than twelve hours and her mind hadn't been able to shake him.

She was also acutely aware that he was staring down her shirt as she worked on him. With one small shift in she could make it stop. Instead, she moved her right arm over toward her left to his right side, successfully pushing her breasts together to create more cleavage for him to ogle.

She swore she heard him hum. _Bad girl…_

Pepper finished what she was doing and cleared her throat, standing up and smoothing out her pant suit once again.

"Will that be all, Mr. Stark?"

Tony looked at her pretty face for a long moment, trying to think of something clever and witty to say but coming up with nothing.

 _God, I really must be tired…_

"I think so. Thank you for patching me up," he said quietly.

"Of course," she smiled, blushing even more as she stared down at him, shirtless and sleepy. He looked as if he was going to pass out in the upright position he currently held. Her heart went out to him. "Lay down and get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be another long day, I'm sure."

Pepper moved away, picking up the gauze wrappers and extra cotton balls and holding them against her chest. "Is there a specific time you want me to get you up or?"

"Yeah," Tony said as he pulled off his socks and stood to finish undoing his belt. He smiled again when he saw that Pepper had noticed what he was doing and was actively working to not look in his direction. "Wake me up no later than nine, I don't want to sleep too long or it will become a habit."

"Yes, Mr. Stark."

"You don't have to leave," he joked as he unabashedly let his trousers fall to the floor, leaving him in only his boxer briefs. "It would be much easier for you to wake me if you were already here…"

Pepper shook her head as she left the room, not letting him see the smile on her lips. " _Goodnight_ , Tony."

Tony smiled after her, feeling relief as he pulled the blanket and sheet back and sat on the plush mattress. His accommodations while overseas and even on the plane were not great. He had an entirely new appreciation for his bed.

"Jarvis, lights," he said as he crawled into bed and rested his head against the pillow.

Jarvis dimmed the lights down as commanded and Tony shut his tired eyes, sighing in relief as his entire body relaxed for the first time since he'd been home again. His eyes had been closed but he felt a presence next to him again so he forced his eyes open to see what it was.

Pepper had slipped back into his room, barefoot this time to minimize the noise, he was sure, and was leaving him a glass of water and two aspirin on his nightstand.

"In case you wake up and need it," she whispered when she realized she'd been caught.

Tony reacted by reaching his arm out to grab her hand, surprising her as he squeezed it to convey his appreciation. "Thank you, Pepper," he said softly, sleep already taking him over as the words were leaving his mouth.

Peppers heart ached at the sincerity in his voice. God, she just wanted to wrap her arms around him and hold him for the rest of the night; personal rule and job titles be damned.

Instead, she squeezed his hand back before tucking it up against him. She lingered for a moment, watching him and studying his face as if this was all _her_ dream and she would wake up to find he was still missing. She waited until his breathing evened out and she knew for certain he was sleeping before she leaned over and pressed her lips ever so softly against his forehead.

What he didn't know wouldn't kill her.

"Welcome home, Tony."

 **TBC**

 **Hello all! I just want to give you a heads up that I** _ **may**_ **change the title of this story at some point. I am not really happy with what I chose but I needed something in order to publish so if you come looking for this in the future and cannot find it - that may be the reason.**

 **I hope to have another chapter up within the next couple of weeks. Thank you for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own, nor do I profit from, the Iron Man Trilogy, the Marvel Cinematic Universe or any of the characters therein. They are simply used in the following story for my own entertainment. No copyright infringement intended.

 **Hi all!**

 **Please excuse any typo's as I was in a bit of a rush to get this up.**

 **I promise I will go back and fix it if I find it**

 **Enjoy!**

 **oOo oOo oOo**

 **CHAPTER THREE**

Tony's eyes remained closed as he inhaled deeply, absorbing an all too familiar scent and humming his approval at the way it made him feel inside. He was comfortable, and warm, and didn't want to move from where he was. She was moving against him, though, mewling ever so slightly as her soft skin rubbed against his rough skin. He groaned at the immediate ache it caused in his lower region, but smiled in contentment as he pressed the full length of his body against her.

His hands gilded up under the covers and grabbed hold of her hips, pulling her body back, pressing himself against her rear, cradling his growing manhood between her supple buttocks. He couldn't stop his hands from running up and over her taught belly to the undersides of her pert breasts. He squeezed lightly and groaned again as she pushed back against him wantonly.

"You're driving me crazy," he said quietly. His voice deep and raspy, sleep-laced but masculine.

Pepper turned her head and bit her lip, rotating her hips again and pushing back against him to create more friction. "Then do something about it…"

With a low growl, Tony rolled over on top of the tall, slender beauty and pressed her into the mattress beneath him. He grabbed hold of her wrists and pinned them above her head, his mouth doing its best to devour the skin on her neck and chest.

"Tony…" she moaned.

"Hmm," he moaned back, grinding his lower half against her again, desperately seeking entrance.

"Tony…" she said again, louder this time and something in her voice caught him slightly off guard.

"Yeah, Pep…" he panted, noting that he couldn't feel her against him anymore. Had he gone numb?

"Tony, get up," she said and he furrowed his brow.

"What?"

"It's nine forty five," she said this time and now he was puzzled.

The image of her writhing beneath him dissipated like smoke and he was left with his face pressed into his pillow rather than her bare chest. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, blinking rapidly as he adjusted to the light and the realization that he hadn't actually been about to score with the ginger beauty, but was only dreaming it instead.

His eyes screwed shut again and he buried his face deeper into the pillow. "Hmmmmmm," he whined loudly, wanting nothing more than to go back to that dream and finish what he had started.

At the edge of his bed Pepper chuckled and reached an arm out to nudge him more. "Come on, wake up. You told me not to let you sleep past nine and here I was generous enough to give you an extra forty five minutes already."

Tony sucked a deep breath in and turned his head toward where she was seated next to him on his bed. He stared at her for a long moment, feeling only slightly embarrassed that he'd almost just had a wet dream about his longtime assistant.

 _Not that it would have been the first time…_

He only hoped he hadn't been talking his sleep, or if he had, he hoped she wasn't able to decipher what he had been dreaming about. He really didn't want her holding that above his head.

"You know I slept on a cot for three months… when I did sleep, anyway. I missed my bed," he finally grumbled as he accepted the fact that she was not going to let him fall back asleep.

Pepper smiled and nodded, chuckling as she tilted her head to look at him better. "I'd queue the violins but everyone else has already done that for you. Now come on, I've got one other thing that I think you may have missed," she said suggestively.

Tony smiled at her playfulness. "Hey," he started as he shifted to roll onto his back and stretch his arms out before him, wincing slightly as his shoulder protested. "You were the one who said ' _that's enough of that…_ '"

"Oh please," she blushed. Suggestive as ever and practically naked in front of her? Her heart was already fluttering in her chest. "That _is_ enough of that. I'm talking about your breakfast."

Tony smirked back and placed his one hand on his bare chest, the other falling to land on the mattress near hers as he remained cradled in his pillow. "Breakfast?"

"Yes," Pepper said as she smiled and stood up, moving her way away from his bed and calling back to him over her shoulder. "I made you your favorite omelet."

Tony lay there for a second watching her retreating form, only now noticing the aroma of cooking food in the air. He also took note of the tight but smart-looking dress she wore, and the way it hugged her body so nicely.

 _Wait… did she say omelet?_

His thoughts suddenly switched from Peppers ass to his growling stomach. "I'm up!"

Pepper stopped in the doorway and turned to him, satisfied that he was finally getting out of bed. She wasn't sure how much will power she had to not sit there with him all day if he refused to leave the plush California king.

Tony sat up and threw the covers back, glancing down at himself before quickly pulling them back over his lower body. He cleared his throat. "Uh, I'll be out in a second, you go ahead."

Pepper eyed him suspiciously but nodded before turning her back to him once again and leaving the room.

Tony waited until she was out of sight before he pulled the covers back again to reveal he had been sporting a good case of morning wood. He had forgotten, actually, that this was a normal occurrence. It didn't happen to him while he was tucked away in that cave. Probably a subconscious effect of being held prisoner or something of the like.

When he was absolutely certain that the coast was clear he inched his way out of bed and moved himself into his bathroom to use the toilet and freshen up a bit. After a few moments his body relaxed back to his normal state, the blood flowing to all of his other appendages, and he ran his fingers through his messy hair, smoothing away his bed head. He splashed a little cold water on his face and threw on a quick swipe of deodorant before moving back into his bedroom.

He slipped on a pair of loose fitting sweatpants and made his way out towards the kitchen, inhaling the delectable smells of the hot cooked food and coffee that awaited him.

In the kitchen Pepper sat at the island, her tablet by her side as she scrolled idly and picked at a bowl of fresh fruit in front of her. She looked up when she felt Tony approaching her.

"Sit," she pointed to the seat across from her. In front of said seat, a big plate with a still-steaming ham and cheese omelet drizzled in hollandaise sauce and chopped chives sat waiting for him. Next to the large plate was also a smaller one with a side of buttered toast, a large cup of hot coffee prepared the way she knew he liked it and a carafe of orange juice. A large bowl of fresh fruit was also placed between them.

"A meal fit for a king," he said as he slid into the chair and looked down at the giant breakfast feast in front of him. "Where did you order this from?"

Pepper was grateful for the conversation because she was going to need everything and anything to distract her from staring at his, once again, naked chest. The way his sweatpants were hanging low on his lips, exposing the waistband of his boxer briefs had also been very distracting when he had walked into the room.

God, what had happened to her while he was away? It was like she was dying of thirst and he was a tall glass of sparkling ice water. She couldn't get enough.

"I told you, I made it. Now eat,"

Tony was impressed as he grabbed his silverware and immediately dug in. The cheeseburgers yesterday had been a nice quick way to feel at home again but this was truly his first _real_ meal since being back on American soil. He suspected that was why Pepper had done this for him.

She was always thoughtful like that.

"You know what they say, Pep," he said as he looked between her and the forkful of food between them. "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach…"

Pepper smiled but shook her head and rolled her eyes at him, ignoring his comment.

His stomach grumbled in anticipation as he took said big forkful of the omelet and put it in his mouth. He chewed, then paused for a moment, then chewed some more. He looked again at Pepper, who had been watching him intently, for a brief moment before swallowing his first bite and clearing his throat. "Let me ask you something," he said as he set his fork down and crossed his arms.

Peppers cheeks tinged red and her stomach dropped, worrying instantly that she had somehow _offended_ him with her cooking or disgusted him in some way. Her mind immediately began to replay all the ingredients and steps of what she had done to be sure she didn't screw it up. "Yeah?" she asked timidly.

Tony stared at her for a long moment. "What is your ring size?"

She cocked her head at him, confused.

"Because I am prepared to marry you if you'll make this for me every morning," he said as he picked up his fork and shoveled another huge bite into his mouth.

Pepper visibly relaxed and laughed him off, picking up her glass of juice. "Yeah okay, that'll be the day," she said taking a sip and setting it back down. "…when _you_ , Tony Stark, settle down and become a one woman man."

Tony felt a slight pang at that, but he knew he had given her no reason to believe otherwise. "I don't know," he shrugged, cutting off another piece of food with his fork. "I think it's about time I quit messing around, don't you?" he asked. "I'm getting too old for that shit."

Pepper found herself at a loss for words. She pushed her tablet aside and looked him in the eye, unsure if she was impressed or deflated by his statement. On one hand, she would be thrilled to _not_ have to escort his nameless one night stands out of the house anymore. On the other hand, she wasn't so sure she could deal with a woman taking up permanent residence in his bed while she watched from behind his daily planner either.

Why couldn't he just be the world's most eligible but celibate bachelor forever?

She shook her head and suppressed the smile that fought to the surface again. "Don't say that. If you're too old that means I'm too old."

"Nah, Pep," he smiled. "You'll always be a fine wine in my book."

Pepper rolled her eyes and leaned against the island. He watched her for a long moment, taking in her features and bashful smile, still so relieved that he was found and that he was fortunate enough to make his way home.

There was so much he took for granted before his humbling experience. He didn't want to take Pepper for granted anymore.

"So," Tony changed the subject. "What's on the agenda today?"

Pepper took a deep breath in and pulled her tablet back in front of her, swiping across the screen to her planner. "Well… not much, actually. For the most part, my job today is to keep an eye on you," she said looking at him through her lashes. "And to make sure you don't do anything that will prolong your recovery."

He nodded and continued on with his breakfast, his eyes closing for a brief euphoric moment when he took a sip of his coffee. He wondered for a second, if it was wildly inappropriate to find the way she made his coffee so perfectly as attractive.

"Just tell me what you want and I'll get it for you," she continued idly, picking up a piece of fruit and delicately putting it in her mouth. "Obi wants you to lay low for a little while."

Tony watched her mouth as her lips closed around her bite and smirked to himself.

"Speaking of laying," he said as he reached across the island and also plucked a piece of fruit off of her plate, tossing it in his mouth and quirking a brow at her. "How long have you been sleeping in my bed?"

Pepper quite literally choked on the sip of juice she had been taking when those words came out of his mouth. Her eyes widened and she sputtered as she set the glass back down and averted his gaze as she caught her breath.

He sported a cocky smile as he stole another piece of fruit off her plate, ignoring the bowl of fresh cut fruit she had placed between them.

Pepper hurried and tried to count the number of nights she had stayed there, quickly losing count and shaming herself for not doing a better job of covering her tracks.

"What?" she asked breathlessly. "Of course not! How did you… I mean why-"

"Your perfume," he said very matter-of-factly.

He smiled at the deer-in-headlights look on her face. _God she was cute…_

"Or your shampoo or whatever it is that makes you smell the way you do," he said waiving his hand around. "It's all over my pillow."

Peppers face was fire engine red given the level of embarrassment she felt in that moment. "I.. well, I…"

She decided that mortified was not a strong enough word.

"My… _perfume_ must have rubbed off when I was making your bed yesterday morning," she said as she pushed a piece of fruit around on her plate with her fork, refusing to meet his pointed gaze.

Tony chuckled at her lame excuse. "I've known you for what, fifteen years?" he asked. "I know when you're lying Pepper. You _can't_ lie to me."

She took a deep breath and finally braved to look in his eyes. The twinkle that she saw there almost took her breath away. There was so much she wanted to say to him. So much that she thought on constantly while he was away. So much that even she hadn't exactly admitted to herself yet, let alone to him.

 _You're right_ , she thought. _I_ _ **have**_ _known you for more than fifteen years. For more than fifteen years I have seen you nearly every day, or if I didn't see you, I spoke to you on the phone. You are my boss but you are also much more than that. Then one day you were just… gone. And I didn't know what else to do. I missed you. I_ _ **craved**_ _you. Sleeping in your bed was my own way of feeling connected to you again. Your bed smelled like you, and I couldn't pretend, even if only for a few moments before sleep would take me, that you were still here._

No. She couldn't tell him all that. He'd probably laugh right in her face if she told him all that, and she couldn't handle that kind of rejection right now.

Instead, she decided for just the tip of the iceberg that was looming beneath. He could steer around just the tip if he wanted to.

"I missed you," she said simply, shrugging when he just looked at her, her lip trembling but refusing to cry.

Tony swallowed his latest bite of food and sat back, watching her nervousness and looking back and forth between her two stunning blue-green eyes. He watched her emotions flicker there, and wondered if there was a chance that maybe she was feeling what he was feeling- this uncertainty of wanting and longing for something more than what they had now.

He thought about the many sleepless nights he'd had in that dark cave, late when Yensin would lay down to sleep and the guards outside would quiet down. No one would be moving around or making noise and he would just stare up at nothing, imagining over and over how their reunion would be when they met again. He wondered if she thought about him the way he would think about her.

He imagined stepping off that rescue plane and having her run into his open arms, wrapping her long legs around him and kissing him senseless while a crowd around them cheered.

He imagined, on more than one occasion, coming home and finding her waiting for him in his workshop, sat atop his desk in a tight pencil skirt and low cut blouse…

He imagined stepping up to her and spreading her legs, taking her right there on the desk, or against the wall, or against the window, in his bed…

He imagined just spending more casual time with her; grabbing a bite, going for a drive, watching a movie on the couch with a big bowl of popcorn and a couple of soda's…

It wasn't his old life that he missed at all while he was in that cave. It was a completely new life that he was yearning for. He wanted to make the world a safer place with his technology, and he wanted a one woman to love and to love him back- spiritually and physically- for the rest of his days on this earth.

There was never a question in his mind when he imagined what his new life could be if he'd made it out of that cave. The woman he saw himself spending his life with was Pepper. No contest.

Seeing her waiting for him when he got off that plane the day prior had moved him. Her mere presence meant so much more than she would ever realize.

"I thought about you a lot." He tried to convey with his eyes the sincerity he felt. "I missed you too, Pepper."

Pepper swallowed the lump in her throat as she stared back at him. "How did you know it was mine?" she asked.

Tony sat forward, leaning his arms against the island and smiling at her again. "Pepper, I would know it was you if I'd smelled it half way around the world. It's just _you_. I don't know how else to explain it."

Pepper didn't even try to hide the smile that broke out across her face as the butterflies in her belly did figure eights and her cheeks changed from dark red to a bashful pink. That was most definitely the best thing he could have said to her, and very quickly she found herself throwing any personal rules about relationships in the work place out the window.

"I'm sorry," she said as she shook her head, still embarrassed that she'd been caught so quickly.

"What for? I wasn't using it," he chuckled. "You know you could keep using it… with me in it as well…"

She shook her head and giggled nervously. "Oh my god…"

Tony felt himself smile shyly back at her. "Spend the day with me."

It came out as more of a command than a request, but he knew that she wouldn't take it the wrong way.

Pepper didn't know if she was relieved or saddened at the sudden change of subject. Either way, she was still smiling as she relaxed back into her seat and gazed at him and his charming smile once again.

"What did you have in mind?"

 **TBC**

 **So this is moving a little slower than I had originally planned- I'm sorry! The lemons are coming, though, I promise. Hopefully it won't be as long between updates as this one was.**

 **Thanks for reading and sticking with me!**


End file.
